The fires over the holidays were a very unfortunate development but hopefully the structures can and will be restored and their businesses retained. Anything that further detracts from the appearance and life of our downtown area is a setback to our goal of renovating and revitalizing that area.

But all news is not bad news. I recently talked with Mr. Jim Philips, an official with the Tennessee Department of Transportaion (TDOT), concerning the poor condition of highways leading through our town. I had heard rumors that TDOT might be considering working on those routes and Mr. Philips confirmed that he is aware of their condition and agrees that work is badly needed. He hopes to receive authorization and funding sometime in the future that will allow TDOT to accomplish work on Highway US-25W from the Interstate through town and to the state line and to include Tennessee Highway 297-W from our main traffic light in the downtown westward for approximately one mile. Although nothing definite has been decided at this time, it is encouraging that the state does realize the fact that we badly need the work accomplished.

At the time this article was written City Councilman and Street Commissioner Clarence Gene Beck planned to meet with Mr. Philips and finalize approval for the city to close the portion of open ditch running along South Main Street. Preliminary approval has already been granted but the city must insure that there is sufficient tiling to allow for the greatly increased water flow in times of heavy rain and local flooding. And Beck intends to accomplish the ditch closing in such a manner as to leave maximum parking along the street for businesses located in that area.

TDOT has been clearing the right of way along Interstate-75 and Beck will also request that the Jellico interchange be given special attention while that project is underway. We all agree that the area around the interchange needs clearing to some extent. But the city cannot accomplish that task due to regulations, insurance considerations and above all, the danger to our city employees who do not have the highway experience of state employees.

Additionally our city and the utilities department are in the process of purchasing a larger roller for blacktopping. Beck and street department personnel want to utilize the roller to make significant improvements to some streets.

As is evident to local motorists, they have already been doing quite a bit of "patching" all around town. But they now hope to make some larger repairs to some sections of streets and roads this spring and summer. They cannot possibly accomplish all of the blacktopping that has been requested all over town but they will establish priorities based upon road usage and proximity to such public facilities as schools, hospital, multiple residences, etc. And they will move to other less utilized streets and roads after that.

I also earlier reported that some new snow removal equipment is now on hand and more salt has also been ordered since a new storage area has been constructed that will keep salt stores out of the weather. The street department to date has done an excellent job in keeping our streets open and safe for travel during our early light snows and periods of icing. But we are now facing the usual period of our worst winter weather.

The County Commission is still attempting to solve the terrible problem with homeless animals that is evident all over Campbell County. Hopefully they will soon be able to fund a new collection center that will conform to all of the laws dealing with the collection, care, veterinary service and eventual placement or euthanasia of such animals. The Commission's original plans reportedly did not meet the specifications and the money appropriated at that time was not sufficient to bring the proposed center into compliance.

Our problem with stray animals continues to grow worse and there are animals running loose all over town including our downtown area. But as I wrote earlier, there is no way that the city of Jellico can ever hope to provide its own collection center that will meet all of the requirements including the well equipped physical structure, a qualified animal control officer and a contracted veterinarian. We must work in cooperation with the Commission to make the facilities of the eventual county center available to us along with provisions for collecting and transporting stray animals in this area to that center.

It is imperative that when the matter is finally brought before our city Council that we work out some cooperative agreement with the Commission regardless of the financial commitment that we are required to make. We have a problem that must be solved and the proposed county center is the only realistic possibility for corrective action that will keep us within the guidelines. But funds expended for that purpose will be money well spent!

Our wedding chapel is taking off like gangbusters. Although the chapel is still not "officially" open, it has already hosted four or five weddings including one that I reported earlier. Marriage ceremonies were conducted there on Christmas Day, two on December 30th and one was scheduled for New Year's Day. All expressed their great satisfaction with the beautiful settings and the facilities. (One of those newly weds says she also intends to inform her sister in Indiana of the chapel and to encourage her to come here for her upcoming wedding. Word of mouth is the best possible publicity.)

The chapel bears every promise of becoming a wonderful asset for Jellico once it is completed to satisfaction and given wide spread promotion. It should definitely bring in visitors. And since it is in the downtown area, it can help in revitalizing that area also.

I wrote in my last article that the Eastern Rock Crawling Championship (EROCC) gives every indication of becoming something big in the future for Jellico and the White Oak area. And Robert Cox who first interested the group in our area, agrees with that assessment. The Cox family owns the property where the events take place and Robert is to meet this month with Tim Rettig of EROCC concerning further development of the site to include greatly expanding the parking areas since the number of spectators and vehicles increase with each passing season. Robert says that some at the University of Tennessee have become interested in the activitiy and may provide assistance in some manner in the future. He also confirmed what I reported in the earlier article that ESPN 2 may be giving serious consideration to nationally televising the competition live.

According to Robert, the way the present site was selected makes an interesting story. He apparently had talked with a group of Jeep enthusiasts in Williamsburg three years ago and learned that the rock crawling participants were possibly looking for a site for the championship series. He took them to White Oak and showed them his extensive area but none seemed to fit the needs and wants of the EROCC representatives. As somewhat of an after thought, he mentioned another area he owns but informed them that it was such rough terrain that even bulldozers were not very effective in maneuvering it.

But they insisted upon looking at that location and after seeing the huge rocks, etc., immediately declared it an ideal location for the competitive events. Video tape has already been televised nationally and those who have seen the events on TV (or have been in attendance) are amazed that any vehicle could possibly climb over boulders of such immensity. It's no wonder that the sport is so quickly gaining popularity. It is definitely something way out of the ordinary and it promises to become even more popular.

To have an organization with participants from all over the eastern part of the United States to come here each year (and with possible national television coverage) can certainly be a real plus for Jellico and our entire local area. And as I and others have stated repeatedly, increasing tourism can contribute immeasurably to our local economy. We need to support in every way possible the efforts of Robert, Jake Bennett, the Tourism Commission, the City Council and all of the countless businesses, organizations, and individuals who are working hard to promote EROCC and all other tourism activities.

Jake earlier stated his intention to have some live entertainment in the City Conference Room of the Trammell Building (Library and Office of Tourism) during the winter months. The first indoor activity will be held Saturday, January 18th (7:00 PM - 10:00 PM).

Ron Dabney is getting several of the local group back together that was so popular when we first began having such activities in Veterans Park four years ago. They will kick off the first night and they plan to play two nights a month. Hopefully we may be able to have some other types of music available during their off weekend including the Bowlin Family Gospel Singers from the Corbin area who have promised to be here when their busy schedule will allow them to do so. The Bowlin Family that includes Mrs. Margaret Bowlin, music instructer at Boston Elementary School, was selected as the group most representative of mountain/bluegrass gospel music and was chosen to play for the last meeting of the Kentucky State Baptist Convention. (All are very talented, interchange on instruments and son Virgil's guitar picking is truly something to hear.)

In the words of Yogi Berra, it was deja vu all over again! Those of us old enough to remember the 1953 Sugar Bowl thought we were watching a replay in the '03 Peach Bowl. Maryland manhandled our defending '52 national champs in almost identical fashion. We fumbled the opening kickoff in '53 and things went from bad to worse in that game too.